The Florida Senate

509.291  Advisory council.--

(1)  There is created an 18-member advisory council.

(a)  The Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation shall appoint 11 voting members to the advisory council. Each member appointed by the secretary must be an operator of an establishment licensed under this chapter and shall represent the industries regulated by the division, except that one member appointed by the secretary must be a layperson and shall represent the general public. Such members of the council shall serve staggered terms of 4 years.

(b)  The division, the Department of Health, the Florida Hotel and Motel Association, the Florida Restaurant Association, the Florida Apartment Association, and the Florida Association of Realtors shall each designate one representative to serve as a voting member of the council, and one member appointed by the secretary must be appointed to represent nontransient public lodging establishments. In addition, one hospitality administration educator from an institution of higher education affiliated with the Hospitality Education Program pursuant to s. 509.302(2) shall serve for a term of 2 years as a voting member of the council. This single representative shall be designated on a rotating basis by the institution or institutions of higher education affiliated with this program pursuant to s. 509.302(2).

(c)  Any member who fails to attend three consecutive council meetings without good cause may be removed from the council by the secretary.

(2)  The purpose of the advisory council is to promote better relations, understanding, and cooperation between such industries and the division; to suggest means of better protecting the health, welfare, and safety of persons using the services offered by such industries; to give the division the benefit of its knowledge and experience concerning the industries and individual businesses affected by the laws and rules administered by the division; and to promote and coordinate the development of programs to educate and train personnel for such industries.

(3)(a)  The advisory council shall meet once each January, at which time a chairperson and vice chairperson shall be elected from the members. A member may not serve consecutive terms as a chairperson.

(b)  The council shall meet at the request of the division or at the request of a majority of the members. However, the council may not hold more than one meeting in any calendar month.

(c)  The council shall take action only by a majority vote of the members in attendance.

(d)  The division shall provide necessary staff assistance to the council. All minutes and records of the council shall be maintained by the division and shall be made available to the public upon request.

(4)  The members of the council shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061.

History.--s. 1, ch. 28129, 1953; s. 2, ch. 29821, 1955; s. 11, ch. 57-389; ss. 16, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 4, ch. 78-323; ss. 24, 39, 41, 42, ch. 79-240; ss. 1, 2, ch. 81-74; ss. 3, 4, ch. 81-161; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 1, 4, ch. 82-46; ss. 32, 51, 52, ch. 90-339; s. 13, ch. 91-40; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 25, ch. 92-180; s. 204, ch. 94-218; s. 9, ch. 96-384; s. 248, ch. 99-8.

Note.--Former s. 509.052.